Selective change-making machine



J. E. LEWIS. SELECTIVECHANGE MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV- a, 1915. RENEWED 061329, 1919.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

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J. E. LEWIS.

SELECTIVE CHANGE MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION min NOV. 8, 1915. RENEWED OCT-29,1919.

1,392,691, Patented Oct. 4, 1921..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. E. LEWIS.

SELECTIVE CHANGE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1915.- RENEWED OCT-29,1919.

1,392,691, I Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

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J. E. LEWIS.

SELECTIVE CHANGE MAKING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1915- RENEWED OCT- 29,1919- 1,392,691

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4 m m b o Av mvAv o mv rmv a o W WQ M a /ww M3 6 w 5a m 1: 6 Maw/g 6 0 7 1 7, 4 9 0 J warren stares JOHN E. LEWIS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SELECTIVE CHAN GE-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Application filed. November 8, 1915, Serial No. 60,190; Renewed October 29, 1919. Serial No. 334,374.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Selective ChangeMaking Machines, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n selective change making machines.

In all change making machines heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has never been possible to vary theamount of change which could be delivered upon operation of the same keys or combinations of keys and this fact has served to materially limit the use of change making machines for some purposes, particularly at moving picture theaters and other places where thevalue of the tickets or coupons or other commodlty sold varies from time to time. For instance, if tickets at one performance are sold at 10 cents each and a customer buys two tickets and hands the" ticket seller 50 cents, the change making machine should be designed to automatically eject two tickets and 30 cents in change but if the tickets are valued at only 5 cents each and the customer buys two tickets and hands the ticket seller 50 cents, the machine should be capable of automatically ejecting two tickets and 40 cents in change, thus relieving the seller from making mental calculations andmlnimlzing the number of mistakes. However, no such 7 machine has ever been designed, so far as I have been able to determine.

The object of my invention is to provide a selective change making machine wherein the amount of change delivered can be varied in accordance with diflerent values of the tickets, coupons or other commodities being dispensed. r

Another object of my'lnvention s to provide a change making machineso arranged that the proper amount of change will be delivered with the proper number of tickets or coupons corresponding to the amount received from the purchaser and also corresponding to the value of each coupon or ticket sold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described so arranged that the value of the coupons specification,

or tickets or other commodities dispensed,

The invention furthermore consists in the lmprovements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

In the drawing forming a part of this Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention, with the cover thereof removed, Fig. 2 is an elevational view of that end of the machine which is faced by the operator. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially .on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a broken, longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 1. And Fig.8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative arrangements and locationsof the adjustable stops or shoulders, hereinafter described.

In said drawing, 10 designates any suitable form of casing or shell within which the mechanism is mounted, said casing 10 having a front wall 11, side walls 1212 and rear wall 13, the designations front and rear being made with reference to the posio tion of the operator. Near the rear end of the casing is mounted a plurality of coin chutes, the same being designated as 14:, 15,

'16'16 and 17, and corresponding respectively to chutes or holders adapted to receive stacks of 50 cent pieces, 25 cent pieces, 10 cent pieces and 5 cent pieces. Each of said'chutesor holders is provided with an offset opening 18 at the bottom thereof over which the lowermost coin of a stack is adapted to be projected and thereby fall therethrough into a chute 19, the latter terminating in a cup 20 at the rear end of the machine from which the purchasers may take the change. The coins are adapted to connected to and operated by an inverted U shaped member, the same being referenced 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, (see Fig. 4) and corresponding respectively with the ejectors.

and coin chutes 21 and 14, 22 and 15, 23 and '16, 24 and 16, and 25 and 17. Each of the U shaped members extends crosswise of the machine and substantially the entire width thereof, each member 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30.

being pivoted, at its lower end on across bar 31. The members 26 to 30, inclusive, are held normally in vertical position, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, and are retracted automatically after each actuation by means of suitable springs 32 at the ends of the bars 31, saidsprin s 32 being arranged as clearly indicated in *igs. 1, 3, 4 and 5. The ejectors 21, 22 and 23 are each'in the form of long bars pivoted at their front ends to the respective members 26, 27 and 28, and each has its other end provided with a shoulder 33, thesame, however, being normally below the level of the lowermost coin of its corresponding 'coin'stack and hence in an inoperative position. The other ejectors 24 and 25 are in the form of bellcranks, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, the same being pivoted to their respective members 29 and 30 and having their upper'arms notched at p the outer ends and positioned normally in an inoperatlve posltlon, as above described for the ejectors 21, 22 and 23. Each of the bellcranks 24 and 25 is provided with a depending arm 34'and 35, respectively, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Also extending transversely of the machine, and adjacent the free ends of the ejectors 21 to 25, is a rod or bar 135 having its ends suitably fixed in the side walls 1212 of the casing. Pivotally mounted on said bar or rod are three depending bails 36, 37 and 38; Also pivotally mountedon the rod 135 is aseries of depending arms 121, 122, 123,124 and 125, said arms 121 to 125 cor responding respectively to the ejectors 21 to V 25 and being each located directly beneath its corresponding ejector. Associated with each dependlng finger or arm and its corresponding ejector is a springmember having an upper arm 39 which engages the underside of its corresponding ejector and a lower arm 40 which is engaged by the depending arm. The bail 36 is extended s'uf ficiently so as to'engage all of said depending arms 121 to 125; the bail 37 engages the depending arms 122 to 125; and the bail 38 engages the depending arms 123 to 125.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an'oscillation of the bail 38 to the right as a similar oscillation of the bail 36 will elevate all of the ejectors into operative position. To prevent ejecting an improper amount of change should one of the coin chutes be empty, any suitable means may be providedfor preventing theelevation of the ejectorsinto operative position, and for this purpose I have indicated conventionally a pivoted detent 41 which is normally held in an inoperative position by the weight of the coins in the chute but, when the coin chute is empty, said detent or latch 41 is projected into the path of its corresponding ejector and thereby prevents the latter from being elevated to an operative position. Any'other suitable means might be employed for this purpose, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

For determining which of the ejectors 21 to 25 are moved to operative position whenever 25 cents, 50 cents or a dollar is received from the purchaser, I have provided push keys 42, 43 and 44 corresponding to said amounts, respectively,-as indicated in Fig. 2. The key 42 is connected by a rod 45 with the bail 38, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the 50 cent key, referenced 43, is similarly connected by a rod 46 with the bail 37; and the dollar. key, referenced 44, is similarly connected with the bail 36. Hence, when the operator pushes in the dollar key all of the'ejectors 21 to 25 will be elevated, the ejectors'22 to 25 when the 50 cent key is pushed in, and the ejectors 23 to 25 when the 25 cent key is pushed in. Sald keys 42, 43 and 44 may be returned to normal position after each actuation by any suitable means such as return springs.

The ejectors 24 and 25 maybe individually operated by keys 47 and 48, respectively, the 5 cent key 47 being connected by. a push rod 49 with the arm 35 of the ejector 25 and the 10 cent key 48 being similarly connected by a push rod '50 with thev arm 34 of the e ector 24. Each rod 49 and 50 at its inner end is provided with an elongated slot .51 within which the corresponding arms 34 and 35 of the ejeetors are mounted so that there 1s a certain amount of lost motionof the arms 34 and 35 permitted. (See Fig. 5.) This is done in order to permit the elevation of the ejectors 24 and 25 into operative p0sition by means of thebails 36, 37 and 38, as heretofore described. The rods 49 and 50 at their inner ends are suitably supported verse pins 52-52, as will be apparent, The

to remain'in an operative position, due to any frictional resistance afforded by the rods 49and 50while the latter are being returned to normal, I provide springs 53 suitably connecting the upper, substantially horizontal arms of the'ejectors 24 and 25 with their respective members 29 and 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The 5 and 10 cent keys are employed to directly eject 5 or 10 cents in change whereas the 25 cent, 50 cent and dollar keys are employed when those are the respective amounts given by the purchaser to the operator or seller and the proper change is to be made, as hereinafter described.

It is desirable in selling the tickets or coupons to automatically eject the proper number of coupons or tickets desired by the purchaser and for this purpose any suitable or well known mechanism may be provided, one form of which I have indicated conventionally at A in Fig. 1. This ticket or coupon ejecting device may be operated to deliver 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 tickets at a time by means of the push buttons or keys 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58, respectively. But I do not deem it necessary to illustrate or describe in detail connection from said push buttons or keys to the ticket feeding or cutting means A, inasmuch as such specific connection per 86 does not form a part of my invention. Each of the keys 54 to 58 is preferably mounted on a shank 59 which is slidably but non-rotatably mounted in the front wall 11 of the main frame or casing. Each of the shanks 59, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7 is provided with a longitudinal bore within which is rotatably mounted the reduced end 60 of a push rod. There are five push rods, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, corresponding respectively to the keys or buttons for the units 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Each push rod 61, etc., is rotatably and slidably mounted at the end adjacent the front wall 11 of the machine in a fixed partition 66 of the machine, and the opposite ends of said push rods are similarly suitably mounted in fixed brackets 67 near the coin chutes. (SeeFigs. 1 and 4.) Each push rod 61 to 65 carries a plurality of spider-like members S, the push rods 61, 62, 63 and 64 each carrying five of said members and the.

push rod 65 carrying two of said members, said members S being arranged and located relatively to the pivoted members 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, as best illustrated in- Figs. 1 and 4. Each of the members S is provided with one or more projecting shoulders or lugs 69, some of said members S having one shoulder or lug, some two, some three, and others four, the arrangement and spacing of said lugs 69 being as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 8. Each member S is rigidly attached to its corresponding push rod and therefore rotatable when the push rod is rotated, for the purpose hereinafter described. On each of the push rods 61 to 65 on the front side of the partition 66 is splined a gear 70, said gears 70 being prevented from displacement by means of 2. depending rib 71 secured to the top wall or cover 72 of the casing. The push rods 61 to 65 are slidable relatively to the gears 70 but being splined therewith rotate when the gears are rotated. The series of gears 70, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in full lines in Fig. 1, are meshed with each other. The one on the push rod 61, is also meshed with another gear 73 suitably rotatably supported on the partition 66, and the gear 73 has also meshed therewith another gear 74 suitably rotatably mounted on the partition 66. The stud or shaft to which the gear 74 is secured is extended through the front wall 11 of the casing and at its outer end has secured thereto a knob 7 5 by which it may be turned, and an indicating finger '76. The front wall of the machine may be suitably provided with legends designating 5 cent, 10 cent, 15 cent and 20 cent values, as indicated in Fig. 2. The indicator 7 6 is shown as set for tickets or coupons of a 5 cent value and the arrangement of the lugs 69 in the diagrammatic view of Fig. 8 are illustrated for the same value.

The operation is as follows: Assuming that tickets or coupons or other commodities of a 5 cent value per unit'are being sold, the machine is set with the parts in the position shown in the drawings. If a purchaser wishes to buy one ticket or coupon and hands the operator $1.00, the operator first pushes the dollar key 44 and then the unit key 54. The operation of the dollar key 44 will actuate the bail 36 and thereby raise all of the ejectors to operative position. Upon subsequent actuation of the push rod 61 from the key 54, the lugs 69 indicated diagrammatlcally in Fig. 8 in the upper horizontal row and which project downwardly, will engage the pivoted members 26, 27, 28 and- 29, thereby ejecting a 50 cent piece, a 25 cent piece, and two 10 cent pieces, making a total of 95 cents. Similarly, if the purchaser hands the operator $1.00 and desires two 5 cent tickets the operator pushes the dollar key and then the two digits key, referenced 55. Thereupon those depending lugs or shoulders 69 indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 8 in the second horizontal row will engage the members 26, 27, 28 and 30, thus ejecting a 50 cent piece, 25 cent piece, 10 cent piece, and a 5 cent piece making a total of "90 cents, the correct change.

From the preceding, it is believed that the operation for 3, 4, and 5 tickets will be understood. In the event the puchaser hands the operator 50 cents and desires one -5 cent ticket, the operator pushes the 50 cent key, referenced 43, and the unit key, referenced 54. This will cause the actuationof the bail 37 and will raise all of the ejectors exceptthat for the 50 cent stack into operative position. Upon actuation of the unit key 54, the same members 26, 27 28 and 29 will be actuated as heretofore described but on account of the ejector associated with the 50 cent stack of coins being inoperative, the amount of change delivered will only be a 25 cent piece and two 10 cent pieces, atotal of 45 cents, the correct change. Corresponding results will be obtained when 2, 3, 4 or 5' tickets are sold. When the purchaser hands the operator 25 cents, the 25 cent key referenced 42 is pushed, thereby actuating the bail 38 and upon subsequent actuation of any of the unitary keys 54 to 58 the change delivered will be 25 cents less than when the 50 cent key was actuated or 75 cents less than when the dollar key was actuated.

The foregoing describes the operation when a 5 cent ticket or coupon is being sold.

If now, a ticket or coupon of 10 cent value is to be sold, the indicator 76 is turned 90 degrees in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, which thereby shifts the train of gears 74, 73 and -70 through an angle of 90 degrees and hence, the push rods 61 to 65, as will be seen. The push rod 61 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the push rod 62 in a counterclockwise direction, the push rod 63 in a clockwise direction, the push rod 64 in a counter-clockwise direction and the push rod 65 in a clockwise direction, these directions being indicated by arrows in Fig. 8, adjacent the left hand vertical column. This will bring all those lugs or shoulders 69 on the push rod 61 which extend horizontally on the right hand side of the rod, as viewed in Fig. 8, to the lowest or operative position. The same will be true of the similarly located lugs or shoulders 69 carried by the rods 63 and 65. In a correspending manner, the lugs or shoulders 69 carried by the push rods 62 and 64 which extend horizontally to the left, as viewed in Fig. 8, will bebrought to a depending vertithe purchaser buystwo tickets and the key 55 is pushed the shoulders or lugs b?) indicated in Fig. 8 willengage andactuate the members 26, 27 and 30, thus ejecting a 50 cent piece, a 25 cent piece and a 5 cent piece, a total of 80 cents, the correct change. Similarly, for three 10 cent tickets the lugs or'shoulders cc shown in Fig. 8 will engage and actuate the members 26,28 and 29, thus ejecting a 50 cent piece and two 10 cent pieces, a total of'TO cents, the correct change. hen 4 or 5 tickets are bought the change will be 60 and 50 cents, respectively, as will be understood. Also, when'only 50 cents is handed the operator the amount ofchange will be 50 cents less than when the dollar key is actuated, and for 25 cents the change will be cents lessthan when the dollar key is actuated. If now the .value of the ticket to be sold is 15 cents, the indicator 65 will be turned so as to extend down wardly and point to the 15 centlegend, as shown in Fig. 2. This will bring all of the lugs or shoulders 69 which are shown are extending vertically upwardly in Fig. 8 to a position extending vertically downwardly, and the operation will be as heretofore described. When tickets or coupons of 20 cent value are being sold, the indicator 7 6 is turned to the 20 cent legend and corresponding changes in position of the lugs 69 will occur, as will be understood. If, at any time, the purchasers correct change amounts to either 5 or 10 cents, I have so designed the machine that this change may be delivered directly. From the preceding description, it will be seen that I have provided a change making machine so arranged. as to take into consideration three variable factors,the amount of money given the operator by the pur chaser, the number of units of the commodity sold or purchased, and the value per unit of the commodity sold. In illustrating and describing my invention, I have used the variable values of the foregoing three factors which would be most commonly encountered in actual practice, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the principle of the invention may be embodied in other mechanisms using different values of any one of the foregoing three factors. The number of variations permitted for each factor may be increased or diminished according to the requirements of actual conditions; and many changes and variations maybe made in the 7 details of construction and arrangement of of parts, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and I contemplate all such changes and modifications ascome within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with keys denoting the amounts for which change is to be made, of keys corresponding to the number of units of the commodity being sold, and adjustable means between said keys corresponding to changes in price per unit of said commodity, whereby the amount of change delivered will be correspondingly varied.

' 2. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a key denoting the monetary amount received, change delivery means, and a cooperating digit key corresponding to the number of units of the commodity sold, of means for varying the relative cooperative action of said keys whereby the amount of change from the amount received will vary inversely as the value per unit of the commodity sold.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of keys corresponding to difierent monetary values, coin ejecting means, and a series of keys corresponding to the quantity of the commodity being sold, of means cooperating with said keys and ejecting means adjustable to correspond with different values per unit or" the commodity to thereby Vary the amount of coins ejected.

4:. In a machine of the character described, the combination with keys corresponding to different monetary values, of different denominational digit keys, and value indicating means, all of said keys and means being cooperatively associated to determine the difference in monetary value between any monetary key operated and the product of the digit key operated times the value inclicated by said means.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of keys indicating diiferent monetary values, of a plurality of digital keys, coin ejecting means, and selective variable means interposed between and cotiperating with the ejecting means and said sets of keys.

6. In a change making machine, the combination with coin ejecting means, amount tendered keys, and digital keys, the operative relation between the amount tendered keys and the digital keys determining the actuation of said ejecting means, of separate means for varying the relation between the amount tendered keys and the digital keys to thereby vary the amount ejected upon similar operations of the amount tendered and digital keys.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with coin holders, coin ejecting means, amount tendered keys, and units of purchase keys, the amount tendered and purchase keys together controlling the operation of said ejecting means, of value per unit purchase designating means, and cooperating means between said value designating means and the purchase keys adapted, upon change of the value per unit purchase,

to correspondingly vary the cooperative relation between the amount tendered and purchase keys.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with coin holding means, coin ejecting means, amount tendered keys, and purchase keys, the amount tendered and purchase keys together controlling the ejecting means, of additional means for varying the cooperative relation between the amount tendered keys and the purchase keys whereby, upon change in value of the purchase, the same operations of similar purchase and amount tendered keys will correspondingly change the amount delivered by the ejecting means.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with coin ejectors, amount tendered keys, means interposed between said keys and the ejectors for selectively positioning the latter, of a series of digital keys, a series of members for actuating the ejectors, and means associated with each of said digital k'eys arranged for cooperative relation with said members, said means associated with the digital keys being adjustable to difi'erent operative relation with respect to said members whereby, upon similar operations of the amount tendered and digital keys, different actuations of the ejecting means may be accomplished.

10. In a change making machine, the combination with coin ejectors, amount tendered keys, means between said keys and the ejectors for selectively positioning the latter, and a series of bails for actuating the ejectors, of a plurality of purchase keys adapted to actuate said bails, said purchase keys being provided with adjustable means for selectively actuating said bails.

11. In a change making machine, the combination with coin ejectors, amount tendered keys, and a series of purchase keys, the amount tendered and purchase keys being cooperatively associated to determine the actuation of the ejectors, of purchase value indicating means, and connections between said value indicating means and the purchase keys for adjusting the positions of the latter with respect to the amount tendered keys, to thereby vary the actuations of the ejectors in accordance with the value indicating means.

12. In a change making machine, the combination with coin ejectors, amount tendered keys, means operative from said keys for selectively positioning the ejectors, a series of pivoted bails for actuating the ejectors when positioned, of a series of purchase keys each having adjustable elements for engaging said bails to actuate the latter, a purchase Value indicating member, and gearing interposed between said value indicating member and said adjustable members of the purchase keys for varying the operative position of the latter in accordance with changes in the purchase value indicating member.

13. In a change making machine, the combination with coin ejectors and amount tendered keys, of purchase keys, and means interposed between said purchase keys and the ejectors for selectively operating the latter, said interposed means including a series of elements for directly actuating the .ejectors, and a rotatable rod operated by 14;. In a change making machine, the com-' bination with coin ejectors and amount tendered keys, of purchase keys, and means interposed between said purchase keys and the ejectors for selectively operating the latter, said interposed means including a series of elements for directly actuatingthe ejectors, and a rotatable rod operated by each of the purchase keys, each of said rods having a series ofe'lements thereon rotatable to different positions for selectively engaging said members, a rotatable purchase value indicator, and gearing between said value indicator and said rotatable elements arranged, u'pon rotation of the value indicator, to indicate different values, 'to correspondingly change the position of said elements, r

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13 

